Extra carriages on Oldham loop 'too little, too late'

A MOVE to draft in extra carriages on a 'nightmare' train line has been branded 'too little too late'. Since the closure earlier this month of the Oldham loop line in preparation for a Metrolink route many commuters have been unable to force their way onto the already-full rush-hour trains from Rochdale. Now, the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority have stepped in. They have hired 'five or six' carriages sidelined from the closed line to be added onto the Rochdale route.

A MOVE to draft in extra carriages on a 'nightmare' train line has been branded 'too little too late'.

Rush hour services from Rochdale to the city centre have been notoriously overcrowded for many years. But since the closure earlier this month of the Oldham loop line in preparation for a Metrolink route many commuters have been unable to force their way onto the already-full trains.

They have hired 'five or six' carriages sidelined from the closed line to be added onto the Rochdale route. That equates to around one extra carriage per service.

The authority's chairman, Keith Whitmore, says the move will have a positive effect.

Shame

He hopes it will 'shame the government into action' and has hit out at operator Northern Rail for their lack of support.

But one commuter says the arrival of the new carriages, set to be added on Monday, is not enough.

Scott Goulding, 38, has travelled on the line to work for 12 years. The Rochdale law worker believes that despite the additions the misery will continue.

He said: "It's too little too late. This line has always been overcrowded like many across Greater Manchester. But since the closure of the Oldham line I'd say the number of passengers has doubled. And six carriages is not double what they have at the moment.

"It will help, but there will still be people who are unable to get on."

Mr Goulding also hit out at transport bosses for allowing the situation to happen.

Planning

"There should have been forward planning for when the Oldham line closed," he said.

"There wasn't and now they all seem to be pointing the finger at each other and nobody is doing anything."

Councillor Whitmore did not want to reveal how much the additional carriages, which will be funded by taxpayers' money, will cost.

He said: "I was not prepared to stand by and watch this daily misery continue."

Talks will continue with Northern Rail and the Department for Transport over help paying for the extra space.